The man you love to hate

How can I hate Richard Sherman? Really. The guy is raw and honest, and the most refreshing NFL player since - dare I say it - Terrell Owens. What we hated about T.O. was also what was so loveable about the man. He was human, and flawed, and without a filter 24-7. That's Sherman.

Sherman is the new 'man you love to hate.'

His interview with Erin Andrews, while bizarre, was real. He was speaking in the moment. You never get that, as too often athletes prepare for the camera and say what they've been trained to say their entire career. Sherman doesn't do that. He says what he wants, and acts how he feels. It's obvious he has something to prove, and plays with a chip the size of Pike Place Market on his shoulder. He talks and, as many have pointed out in the past 24 hours, he backs it up. Love that.

Really, what's the difference between Sherman mouthing off and Babe Ruth calling his shot? Both are dares backed up by feats of greatness. Colin Kaepernick dared Sherman at the most critical time Sunday, and Sherman showed up. Big.

You can say you hate the behavior, but deep down you love the confidence. We would all love to say it and show it, and then say we just showed it.